Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) The gallbladder stores bile, produced by the liver. Bile acids help the body digest and absorb fats. You don't need a gallbladder, so surgery to remove the gallbladder is usually carried out if you have painful gallstones. Gallstones are due to an imbalance in the substances that make up bile. They often cause no symptoms and you may not realise you have them, but occasionally they can block the flow of bile and irritate the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis) or pancreas (acute pancreatitis).
Post-cholecystectomy digestive and liver issues include: 1/ less able to digest fats effectively 2/ unbalanced microbiome 3/ stones form within the ducts of the liver 4/ fatty liver disease 5/ diarrhoea, bloating, nausea, indigestion Your liver continues to manufacture bile, but there is nowhere to store it. Therefore bile continually trickles into the intestines, which can result in food moving faster through the digestive tract and may harm the microbiome. If you eat a fatty meal, you are unable to secrete enough bile into your intestines, therefore the fat will be poorly digested. This means many people experience diarrhoea, bloating, nausea or indigestion.
Avoid: Fatty, greasy, or fried foods; spicy food; refined sugar; caffeine; alcoholic drinks; carbonated beverages. Keep your intake of dairy products and grains to a minimum or avoid them altogether. Dairy products (milk, cheese, ice-cream, yoghurt) worsen all cases of gallbladder & liver disease, and they are very difficult to digest. Food intolerance is a common cause of gallbladder problems, and there is research that links gluten intolerance with gallstones. A good reason to keep your intake of grains low is to reduce the risk of developing a fatty liver A 2017 study concluded there was a risk of symptoms for patients who ate eggs, animal protein, saturated fat, and fewer vegetables. Eating these foods after having your gallbladder removed won’t cause serious health problems, but it can lead to a lot of painful gas, bloating, and diarrhoea. This is partly because bile flowing freely into your intestine works like a laxative.
Eat: 1/ good fats including extra virgin olive oil, avocados, coconut milk and oil, nuts and seeds 2/ low fat protein sources such as chicken breast; fish and seafood; legumes; nuts and seeds. 3/ high fibre foods including whole grains; fresh fruits and vegetables; legumes and beans; nuts and seeds; bran cereals and oatmeal. 4/ low fat dairy products such as skimmed milk or low fat yogurt. Get calcium from leafy green vegetables; legumes and pulses; calcium-fortified milk alternatives; sardines and salmon. 5/ bitter and sour foods such as lemons, limes, radicchio lettuce, chicory, endive and dandelion leaves. They should improve digestion and make it easier to tolerate good fats in your diet. Naturopathic supplementation may include: ox bile vitamins A, D, E dandelion root taurine digestive enzymes (adapted from www.nhs.uk; www.medicalnewstoday.com; www.healthline.com; www.liverdoctor.com; www.mayoclinic.org; oldedelmarsurgical.com)
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